Addressing Baltimore

I’ve been debating how and in what vein to write about my hometown of Baltimore.  The fact that the city I love now belongs to a rather nefarious alumni of cities with civil and social unrest surrounding the death of a black man in police custody is enough to make me shake my head.  As I watched the events of a week ago today, I felt sick to my stomach.  I felt for the family of the young man who died and felt angry at the people who took it as a moment of opportunism.  There is much that needs to be addressed in Baltimore and there is plenty of blame to go around.

Issue 1 – Jurisprudence.  The six police officers who have been charged in the death of Freddy Gray need a fair trial.  I understand the demands of justice but what will happen if justice as the protestors sees it is not realized?  If, in their hearts, the protestors are demanding a conviction, that is not justice but a railroading the likes of which the black community have dealt with throughout their history.  In order for justice to be served, the police officers need a fair hearing, a legitimate legal counsel and an honest deliberation by the jury – and the Baltimore community must accept it. 

Issue 2 – The race paradigm.  If the six police officers’ indicted are indeed found to be responsible, protestors need to rethink how this issue is being characterized.  The recent incidents of police officers and young black men have been found to have as much to do with idiocy and incompetence as racism.  Yet, the death of Mr. Gray was initially framed as a race issue.  How will it be portrayed now that half of the accused officers are black?  The race issue was used to inflame the situation into the inferno of Monday and if racism is not a part of it, it needs to be removed from the dialogue so that a more productive, less toxic conversation can be held. 

Issue 3 – The faults.  Various black community leaders in Baltimore and interested observers have suggested that this incident needs to be a catalyst towards permanent change and reform.  I whole heartedly agree.  However, changes are required all around.  The police department certainly needs to get its house in order if the charges prove to be accurate.  City officials need to be more consistent in how it helps those in need and how it provides the means of citizens to help themselves.  The black community also needs to change what it is doing in the name of civil rights.  One can’t look at the last forty years and declare it is entirely the government’s problem.  The black community has soul searching to do in addressing problems surrounding the family, community and personal responsibility. 

Issue 4 – The perception problem.  In recent days, there has been a conversation (more a diatribe) on the characterization of the looters and rioters.  Some officials and community leaders have lashed out over the term “thugs” being used about those in question.  I’ve mentioned in other forums that those who cannot even honestly discuss an issue are not likely to solve it.  One could call it ballet but it comes down to the same thing – there needs to be a blunt and direct conversation over what happened and how to move on from here.  The word thug is no more racist than door but has only taken on those dimensions because of the characterization of young black men and women taking part in destroying their own block, neighborhood and city.  Stop trying to find ways of being offended and start helping the situation.  I said start because this tactic is helping no one. 

I know the city of Baltimore will rebound from this.  Our city is more than what one sees on The Wire or on the evening news.  There are beautiful neighborhoods, communities, culture, food, history and heritage.  The city is filled with good people, many of whom were out the day after the riots cleaning up and reclaiming.  However, remarks that much is left be done are absolutely right.  There must be honest efforts to ensure everyone has the chance to do well.  Baltimore has had rough periods in its history before.  It will need to rise again as worthy of the anguish that has poured out of people the last week.  Still, to paraphrase a famous line, there is nothing wrong with Baltimore that cannot be fixed with what is right about Baltimore.      

As Ferguson Burns...

This past week, the city of Ferguson erupted in violence, soon splashed upon television screens, the main pages of websites and the front pages of newspapers.  The police officer accused of wrongly shooting and killing a young man coming from a robbery escaped indictment.  The grand jury failed to find evidence enough to warrant such an action.  The district attorney, in a rather long-winded and ultimately ineffective statement, suggested that the piles of contradictory statements from “eyewitnesses” left the grand jury to consider only the physical evidence and in that light, there was insufficient evidence to move forward.  It was ineffective in that it did little to quell the chaos that ensued. 

First, it is important to understand and as a history teacher I feel qualified to explain that there are historical issues at play from within the black community about the behavior of the police.  While most Americans might have the highest regard for the police, there is an institutional memory among the black community – one in which the police was generally the armed wing of racist town governments and organizations that provided no protection.  While there have been great advancements thus far regarding race relations, it cannot totally wipe out the events of the past.  While some suggest it is time to move on, that is easier to say from the outside than to do from within.   

With that said, there are other issues exacerbating the problems.  First, you have people joining the fray and in the process, undermining the peaceful protestors by destroying local businesses and police vehicles.  While some protestors tried to discourage the damage, others were not to be deterred, calling into question their presence and their motives.  Secondly, activists who profess to speak on behalf of the community in Ferguson are doing more to stoke the flames than calm the passions.  Their power and status depends on a continued rage.  Instead of leaders who would try to disseminate the verdict of the grand jury and consider whether they had a point, we have instigators who seek only to keep the anger and hatred burning as bright as the fires in Ferguson. 

There are other side issues in need of discussion.  The “leaders” have a large role to play in what happens next.  Additionally, there is a greater outrage than what happened in Ferguson.  The vast majority of young black people killed are struck down by other black people.  However, no activist leader will pick up that banner.  That requires introspection on the part of leadership and the community and there does not appear to be the stomach for that type of discussion.  The activists are making their name by fingering the outsider “boogeyman” and keeping the spotlight away from the community.  That is an easier pill to swallow and one that most are willing to do.  However, ignoring the problem does not change the community’s reality.   

How do we proceed from here?  First of all, leadership across the board needs to explain the reasons why no indictment happened.  Sadly, it will not change many minds but it has to be on record to show the lack of racist intent.  Black leaders need to examine soberly the facts and ask if this is a true case of racism or the fact that the young man was out of line.  Second, some protestors have asked for body cameras on the police.  That might not be an altogether bad idea – what better way to quell such a debate again if there is video evidence pointing in one direction or another.  Again, some will still not be satisfied with video evidence suggesting their paradigm is wrong, but it is one more effort towards trying to get things right. 

As mentioned before, the vast majority of blacks killed in this country are killed by other blacks.  Very seldom are blacks killed wrongly by white police officers.  It does not jive with historical truths but today represents new realities.  Some of the racial ambulance chasers are not ready to give up the past, though they know better.  It makes the protests seem cynical and ultimately, a disgrace to the movement that first led them towards equality.  This takes no responsibility away from the police, who should always strive to be equal in its protection and its law enforcement.  Yet, the black community also has a responsibility.  Until they do that, things will not improve.